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Friends of the Earth demands that EPA strengthen its existing power plant rule

Posted Jul. 29, 2014 / Posted by: Kate Colwell

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Environmental Protection Agency will hold public hearings in Atlanta, Denver, Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. on its Clean Power Plan for existing power plants. Friends of the Earth will testify in Washington, D.C. in support of the initiative to limit carbon pollution from the electric power sector, and will urge the EPA to strengthen the rule.

Require reductions to be made by 2020, rather than 2030, to accelerate action to prevent the accumulation of greenhouse gas emissions;

Change the base year from 2005 to the internationally accepted baseline of 1990, which will more accurately reflect the required reductions;

Promote the use of clean renewable energy, such as wind and solar, over dirty fossil fuels, such as natural gas and coal; and

Allow a sufficiently robust carbon tax as a means for states to comply with the rule.

Kate DeAngelis, Climate and energy campaigner at Friends of the Earth, calls on the EPA to heed public demand and release more stringent state targets:

The Clean Power Plan represents the most significant step that any American president has ever taken to address climate change. Despite its importance, the rule remains woefully insufficient and will not lead to the emission reductions necessary to avoid catastrophic climate disruption. The EPA must strengthen the rule so that the state targets are stringent enough to substantially shift our energy system from dirty fossil fuels to a clean, renewable energy future.